Tereza Nvotová’s Father has earned the Golden Eye award at the Zurich Film Festival, marking a significant achievement for the Slovak-Czech-Polish co-production. The film, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival and has been submitted by Slovakia to the 2026 Academy Awards, explores the story of a father whose accidental mistake brings tragedy to his family, offering a nuanced portrayal of guilt, compassion, and resilience.
“Slovak director Tereza Nvotová‘s follow-up to her breakout Nightsiren is impeccably well-crafted, utilizing minutes-long single takes to heighten the tension,” wrote The Prague Reporter in its review of the film, “but the real-world horror the film depicts may prove difficult to endure for most audiences.”
The Zurich Film Festival’s Feature Film Competition, which highlights first, second, and third features from emerging directors, recognized Father for its emotional depth and storytelling. Jury members praised the film’s ability to depict an ordinary family facing extraordinary circumstances without resorting to simplistic portrayals of heroism or villainy.
Golden Eye recognition and festival response
Festival director Christian Jungen described Father as a “captivating thriller” that fosters empathy and challenges audiences to understand complex human behavior. Co-written by Nvotová and Dušan Budzak, the film draws inspiration from a real-life story of “forgotten baby syndrome,” a phenomenon occurring in hundreds of cases annually worldwide.
In awarding Father the Golden Eye, the Zurich jury highlighted the film’s craftsmanship and emotional resonance. Reinaldo Marcus Green, Leonie Benesch, Carlo Cresto-Dina, Ali Asgari, and Nicole Reinhard noted that the film’s central character is neither purely villainous nor heroic but a flawed individual whose mistake deeply impacts those around him. The jury emphasized the film’s themes of hope, resilience, and compassion in the face of human error.
Two other films received special mentions in the category: Love Letters by Alice Douard and Left-Handed Girl directed by Shih-Ching Tsou. Tsou’s film was described as a “luminous gem,” combining humor, pain, and tenderness in a portrait of complex familial relationships.
Czech cinema on the international stage
Father represents a growing presence of Czech and Slovak co-productions on the global festival circuit. Its selection as the Slovak Oscar entry further underscores the film’s international recognition and the rising profile of Central European cinema. Nvotová’s approach, blending real-world inspiration with empathetic storytelling, demonstrates a commitment to socially relevant narratives while maintaining cinematic artistry.
The success of Father in Zurich aligns with a broader trend of Czech filmmakers gaining attention in prestigious international festivals following the success of films like Franz and Broken Voices at international festivals. By tackling universal themes through a distinctly Central European lens, the film contributes to ongoing conversations about family, responsibility, and human fallibility, reinforcing the cultural and artistic impact of Czech productions abroad.
